Closure for cans and the like



May 15, 1934. P, D. HATOG 1,959,205

CLOSURE FOR CANS ND- THB LIKE- Filed Feb. e, i955 v frz' Ver? Zw? jczuLDJcz ffog.

Patented May 15, 1934 UNIT li TES ff ENT GFFICE CLOSURE FOR CANS AND THE LIKE Delaware Application February 6, 1933, Serial N0. 655,314

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to closures or" a type particularly adapted for closing dispensing cans and like receptacles containing talcum powder, tooth powder, bath salts, and similar materials. Within the broad aspects of the invention, the present closure can also be employed in connection with collapsible tubes and the like, such as might contain tooth paste, shaving soap, salves, etc. In general, the invention pertains .10 to the type of closure shown in Reissue Patent No. 18,649 to Walther Kalb, wherein the closure element is permanently connected with the neck :of the dispensing receptacle, and is reciprocated into open and closed position on this neck by a simple pushing or pulling motion of the closure element. The closure element is resiliently held in its open and closed positions by a snap spring preferably constructed in the form of a spring- ;buckling disc or washer, the outer edge oi which 120 moves with a snap action across a neutral plane when this outer edge is pushed to a downwardly ilexed position or pulled to an upwardly lilexed position. The closure element is operatively connected with this buckling spring, preferably having attachment around the outer peripheral edge thereof, whereby the closure element moves with this snap motion into open and closed positions, .and is resiliently held in each of these positions by the spring tension of the disc. This general 30 type of closure for cans, tubes and like containers possesses the advantages of preventing the closure element from becoming lost; of enabling the container to be instantly opened or closed by a yquick simple motion of the closure element; and

.35 of assuring a close-fitting, air-tight seal of the container when the closure element is in its closed position.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved construction wherein the coacting portions of the dispensing neck and closure cap, which engage to effect the closure, are of generally spherical or dome-shape. That is to say, the head or end portion of the dispensing neck is formed of substantially semi-spherical contour, and the outer end of the closure cap is likewise formed oi semi-spherical contour to iit down over the semi-spherical head portion of the neck. Such construction affords accurate and close-fitting engagement of those portions which have seating contact for interrupting the flow of the material through the discharge openings in the neck. This construction can also be made at a desirably low cost.

Another object is to provide an improved man- (Cl. 25M- 62) ner of joining the buckling disc and the dispensing neck to the body of the container.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof. In the ac- I companying drawing illustrating such embodiment- Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View (taken approximately on the plane of the line 1-1 of Figure 3) through the-upper portion of the con- 65 tainer, its dispensing neck, and the spring actuated closure element, this View being on an enlarged scale and showing the closure element in its open position;

Figure 2 is a generally similar view showing the closure element in its closed position (this view Y being taken approximately on the plane of the line 2-2 oi Figure 3); and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 3--3 of 75 Figure 2, and lookingin the direction of the .SIYOWS- The container 6 is most typically representative of a can or carton for containing talcum powder, tooth powde1,;etc., although, as previously stated, it may also be representative of a collapsible tube or the like for containing tooth paste, shaving cream, etc. The dispensing neck portion of the .container is designated 7 in its entirety, and is secured tothe inwardly aring upper end of the portion 6. This portion designated 6 may be an integral part of the body of the container, or it may be an attaching shell having its lower portion suitably secured to the body 01"' the container and serving to connect the latter with the dispensing neck 7.

The dispensing neck 7 comprises a lower attaching flange 7a, an upwardly extending substantially cylindrical stein portion 7b, and a dome-shaped or semi-spherical end head 7c. Preferably, the radius of the outer surface of this spherically shaped head corresponds to the radius or the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 7b, whereby the .outer surface of the entire neck has a smooth continuous contour, although the cylindrical and spherical portions might be formed withl different radii if desired. The illustrated construction ycan readily be formed from sheet metal by a simple pressing or stamping operation; or it may consist of a die-casting or the like. Punched or formed in this spherical head are circumferentially spaced discharge ports 8, preferably in the form of arcuate slots. The top and bottom margins 8a and 8b of these slots preferably occur in the spherical portion of the neck, so that spherical seating surfaces are provided at top and bottom of the slots.

The closure element is designated 9, and comprises an outwardly and downwardly flaring lower skirt portion 9a, an upwardly extending cylindrical portion 9b, and a dome-shaped or semispherical end head 9c. The major portion of this end head has an inner radius which will fit down snugly over the outer radius of the spherical end portion 7c of the neck when the closure cap is in closed position, Figure 2. This cap can be readily constructed of sheet metal by a simple pressing or stamping operation; or it may also consist of a die-casting. Punched 0r formed in the spherical head portion 9o are a plurality of discharge apertures 11. These apertures are grouped so that when the 'cap is in closed position on the neck (Figure 2), they will seat on the upper solid portion '7c of the neck, with an overlap between the upper margins 8a of the slots and the lower margins of the apertures 11, which overlap is generally indicated at 12. A closetting seating contact is established between the neck and the cap at this overlap for effectively preventing leakage of any of the contents of the container when the cap is closed. The provision of a ring of apertures 11, as shown, is preferred, but, if desired, a relatively larger single central aperture might be substituted therefor.

The spring-buckling disc is designated 14 and, as described in the aforementioned Kalb patent, this disc is distorted or shaped to have a conical bias, whereby the outer edge of the disc moves with a snap action across a neutral plane when this outer edge is pushed to a downwardly iiexed position or pulled to an upwardly iiexed position. This outer edge is joined to the outwardly flaring skirt portion 9a of the cap by providing this skirt portion with an internally grooved bead 15 in which the edge 'of the disc seats, a flange 16 being crimped or spun from this bead inwardly over the under side of the disc 14. The inner peripheral edge of the buckling disc 14 is seated in an externally 'grooved bead 17 formed in the upper portion of the container top 6.

In joining the buckling spring to this portion 6, the metal of the latter is also shaped to provide an internally grooved bead 18 for crimping over the flange 7a of the neck. That is to say, the metal is spun or crimped so that it becomes of S-shaped cross-section with the externally and internally grooved beads 17 and 18 overlapping each other and with the intervening thickness of metal 1'9 constituting a part of both grooves.

The cylindrical portion 9b of the cap may have a snug sliding 'fit on the cylindrical portion 7b of the neck, although in the preferred construction I provide a 'slight tolerance or clearance between the two. In constructions where this space is provided, it may be desirable to have an eiective seating contact between the cap and the dispensing neck below the discharge slots 8 so as to prevent the contents of the container from working down into the lower portion of the cap. In the f construction illustrated, the radius of curvature of the upper portion of the cap is extended down sufficiently far so that this radius will be eifective to establish seating contact with the outer surface of the neck substantially at the vlower margins 8b of the slots, and possibly to points further down.

Directly below this 'lower point of seating contact,

designated 21, the cap wall may be formed on a slightly larger radiusor bulged outwardly to join `with the slightly larger radius of the cylindrical portion 9b.

To open the container, the outer periphery of the closure element is manually grasped an-d pulled upwardly or outwardly relatively to the container, snapping the disc 14 across its neutral plane, and resiliently holding the closure element in the open position illustrated in Figure 1. The contents of the container can then be discharged out through the slots 8, up through the space 22 defined between the neck and cap, and out through the discharge apertures l1. To close the container, the closure cap is merely pushed inwardly or downwardly relatively to the container for snapping the buckling spring disc 14 in the opposite direction across its neutral plane and bringing the spherical portions of the cap and neck into Contact. In this closed position, the disc 14 is still exerting downward pressure against the closure element, whereby the spherical surfaces are held pressed together under resilient pressure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ist- 1. A container comprising a discharge neck having a spherically-shaped end portion provided with a discharge opening therein, an external closure cap for said discharge opening having a spherically-shaped end portion adapted to seat on the spherically-shaped end portion of said neck, said cap being adapted for direct manual grasping to initiate the movement thereof in either direction, and an elastic snap device connecting said container with said cap and operating to throw the latter either to the discharge position or to the closed position as soon as the cap passes beyond its median or neutral position.

2. A container comprising a body having a substantially semi-spherical head portion provided with discharge openings therein around the sides of said semi-spherical head portion, an external closure cap having a substantially semi-spherical head portion adapted to seat on the head portion of said body, the head portion of said cap having a discharge opening therein lying out of registration with the discharge openings in -said body when said head portions are in seating contact, said lcap being adapted for direct manual grasping to initiate the movement thereof in either direction, and an elastic snap device connecting said body with said cap and operating to throw the latter either to the discharge position or to the closed position as soon as the cap passes beyond its median or neutral position.

3. A container lcomprising a discharge neck having a spherically-shaped end portion provided with a discharge opening therein, an external closure cap for said discharge opening having a spherically-shaped end portion adapted to have seating contact on the spherically-shaped end yportion of said neck above and below said discharge-opening, said cap being adapted for direct manual grasping -to initiate the movement thereof in either` direction, and an elastic snap device connecting said container with said cap and operating to throw the latter either to the discharge 'position or to the closed position as soon as the cap passes beyond its median or neutral position.

4. A container comprising a discharge neck having avdome-shaped end portion provided with a-discharge opening therein, an external closure 'cap for said discharge opening having `a domeshaped end portion adapted -to Aseat -on the end portion of said neck, said cap being lmovable lengthwise of said neck into open or closed posi- CII tion, and a spring buckling disc operatively connected with said container and with said cap.

5. A container comprising a body having a substantially semi-spherical head portion provided with a discharge opening therein, an external closure cap for said discharge opening having a substantially semi-spherical head portion cooperating with the head portion of said body, said cap being movable lengthwise of said body into open and closed positions and comprising a discharge aperture disposed out of registry with the discharge opening in said body when said cap is in its closed position, and a spring buckling disc operatively connected between the lower part of said head portion and the lower part of said cap.

6. A container comprising a top portion having internally and externally grooved beads formed therein, a dispensing neck comprising a lower outwardly extending flange seated in said internally grooved bead, said neck having a substantially semi-spherical head portion provided with a discharge opening therein, an external closure cap for said discharge opening having a substantially semi-spherical head portion adapted to seat on the head portion of said neck, and a spring-buckling disc having its outer peripheral edge secured to said cap and having its inner peripheral edge seated in said externally grooved bead.

7. A container comprising a top portion having internally and externally grooved beads formed therein, a dispensing neck including an outwardly extending lower flange seated in saidV internally grooved bead, said neck having a discharge opening therein, a closure cap for said discharge opening, and a spring-buckling disc having its outer peripheral edge secured to said closure cap and having its inner peripheral edge seated in said externally grooved bead.

8. A container comprising an end portion having internally and externally grooved beads formed therein, a dispensing neck having a flange secured in said internally grooved bead, said neck being provided with a discharge opening therein, an external closure cap for said discharge opening movable lengthwise of said neck into open or closed position, said cap being adapted for direct manual grasping to initiate the movement thereof in either direction, and an elastic snap device seated in said externally grooved bead and operatively connected with said cap to throw the latter either to the discharge position or to the closed position as soon as the cap passes beyond its median or neutral position.

9. A container comprising an upper portion having substantially oppositely facing annular grooves therein, a dispensing neck including means secured in one of said grooves, said neck having a discharge opening therein, an external cap for said discharge opening, and an elastic snap device connected with said cap and secured in the other of said groooves.

PAUL D. HARTOG. 

